Twas the Night Before Christmas
by Lissa Rae
Summary: Christmas Eve with the Scooby Gang. Published December 1999.
1. Chapter 1

Spoilers: Through "Something Blue"

* * *

"Stop complaining," Buffy chided Spike as they walked through the mall. "I can't believe I was engaged to you."

"I can't believe I haven't killed him," Riley said, shaking his head. "I'm supposed to capture him, not take him Christmas shopping."

"Sod off, both of you," Spike muttered through clenched teeth.

"Why didn't you just have Willow take you shopping?" Riley asked. For some reason, the vampire and the witch got along exceptionally well.

Spike sighed. "Believe me, I did ask," he said. "But she's watching "A Christmas Story" with Xander. I guess it's some sort of tradition."

Buffy frowned in confusion. "They're watching what?" she asked.

"A Christmas Story," Spike repeated.

At Buffy's continued look of confusion, Riley spoke up, trying to jog her memory. "You'll shoot your eye out, kid," he quoted. "His friend touches his tongue to a freezing flag pole, and gets stuck there?"

Buffy shook her head. "Never seen it. And stop looking at me like that," she protested when both Spike and Riley stopped to look at her as if she'd grown antlers and a shiny red nose.

Breaking out of his shock, Spike glanced at Riley, who was still speechless. "You've never seen "A Christmas Story?" How is that possible?" the vampire asked incredulously. "Where have you been every Christmas for the last sixteen years?" he teased her.

Hitting him on the shoulder, Buffy changed the subject. "Come on, we've still got a lot of shopping to do for you," she said to Spike, taking Riley's hand and leading them towards the nearest store. "I can't believe you waited until Christmas Eve to do all of your shopping," she muttered, loud enough for the blond vampire to hear. "You're never going to get it all done in time."

*~*~*~*~*

An hour and ten stores later, Spike had finished. Which was good, because the mall was closing.

The threesome parted outside the mall entrance. "Don't forget, we all have to be at Giles' in three hours for the party," Buffy reminded the two men, then they all headed their separate directions. Buffy went to her mother's house. Riley went back to Lowell House, which was practically deserted this close to Christmas...even Professor Walsh had gone to visit her family for the holidays. Spike went to the mansion. He had moved into Angel's old place on Crawford Street once Giles had decided that he posed no threat to humanity.

After showering and heating up a quick meal, Spike sat down at his kitchen table and began wrapping presents for the Scooby Gang. When he was done, he packed everything into his car and drove over to Giles' apartment.

*~*~*~*~*

He was early. The only person there was Giles, which was fine with Spike. After bringing everything in from his car, Spike helped Giles finish setting out the food and drinks, which right now consisted of Chex party mix and a lot of alcohol.

"Did you find something for Willow?" the ex-librarian an Watcher asked conversationally. He knew that Spike had been having trouble finding something the redhead would like.

Spike nodded. "The Slayer helped me pick something out," he said. "Which reminds me, I got something extra for you, mate," Spike added, handing Giles a bottle of his favorite scotch.

"Thank you, Spike," Giles said gratefully, taking the bottle from the vampire and placing it on top of the bookshelf. "That was very thoughtful of you."

"Yeah, well I had a feeling you might need it later," Spike replied with a grin. "Just don't forget to share."

"Quite right," Giles said dryly. "That's an excellent point. Perhaps we should start drinking now," he suggested.

Spike's grin grew as he moved towards the drinks. "I just adore the way your mind works, mate," he said, then turned to Giles, a bottle in each hand. "What's your pleasure?"

*~*~*~*~*

Willow, Xander and Anya arrived twenty minutes later, with Buffy and Riley following close behind. Seeing Spike lounging comfortably on Giles' couch, Willow walked over and bumped his leg with her hip.

"Hey you," she greeted him with a grin. "Can you get up and help me, please?" she asked him sweetly.

Spike looked up and saw her precariously balancing several plates of cookies. Being careful not to throw off her balance, he stood and took all but one plate from her and moved them into the kitchen.

"What else did you need, luv?" he asked her after placing the cookies on the counter.

"There's a cake in Xander's car. Could you go get it for me?" Willow asked.

"Chocolate?" Spike asked hopefully.

Willow smiled, her eyes twinkling. "Chocolate," she confirmed, then laughed as his eyes lit up and he practically flew outside to get the cake.

Buffy watched as Spike rushed by her and out the door, Willow following behind him at a much more leisurely pace. "What did you do, Wills, point him towards the chocolate?"  
Buffy teased.

The witch nodded. "He's so predictable," she giggled on her way out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

The presents had been opened, the food eaten, the drinks drunk, and now everyone was sitting around the living room telling stories.

"My most embarrassing moment?" Willow repeated Anya's question. "There have been so many," she laughed. "But probably the funniest was when Buffy, Xander and I were in the school Talent Show."

"You three were in a talent show?" Spike asked incredulously. "What was your talent, a dramatic scene?" he scoffed.

"Hey, we were good," Xander protested. "Well, at least, we didn't suck. Not until Wills ran off the stage, and I forgot my lines... okay, we sucked," he finished.

"Yes, you certainly did," Giles agreed. "What?" he said defensively as the three friends glared at him. "You lot were terrible. It's not like I'm telling you something you don't know. At least you didn't have to be the faculty member in charge of the whole bloody mess."

"This is very true. And you even did a Power circle," Buffy teased him.

"I was doing what Sid instructed me to do," Giles reminded her.

"Do you always listen to dummies?" Xander joined in on the teasing.

Giles turned to glare at the boy. "I listen to you occasionally, don't I?" he asked, deadpan.

"I really left myself wide open for that, didn't I?" Xander muttered as everyone laughed. "And who told the G-man he could make a funny?"

*~*~*~*~*

Willow bounced up and down on Spike's lap, where she had been sitting for the last half hour.

Spike groaned. "I really don't mind you on my lap, luv, but do you have to bounce?" he asked.

Willow nodded, taking another sip of the drink he had fixed for her. "What's in this again?" she asked for the fourth time.

"Malibu rum, pineapple juice, and cranberry cocktail," he reminded her. "And if you ask me again, I'm writing it on your forehead with a permanent marker," he threatened.

"Right here?" Willow asked, sticking her tongue out in concentration as she pointed in the general direction of said-forehead.

Spike chuckled. "Yes, right there, ducks," he confirmed, tapping her forehead lightly with his index finger.

Willow giggled and looked up at his finger, going cross-eyed with the action. "Okay, I swear I won't ask anymore," she promised. Then she went back to bouncing.

"Luv, why are you bouncing?" Spike asked.

"Ssh, I'm concentrating," she admonished him, her attention on something across the room. Spike followed her gaze and watched as she levitated a novelty pencil with a pink troll on the end of it, it's neon hair waving wildly as she began to spin it.

"Very nice, kitten," Spike said, eyeing the pencil warily. "It is going to stay over there, isn't it?"

Willow nodded and concentrated some more, picking up a second troll pencil and lowering both of them behind Giles' new bean bag chair (a Christmas present from Xander) until all that could be seen was the trolls' tiny bodies. "Look, I can do a puppet show from across the room," she giggled, looking up at Spike. At the loss of concentration, one of the trolls dropped onto the chair, its body vibrating slightly with the remnants of power moving through it. Rebounding quickly, Willow turned the pink-haired troll towards the one on the chair and raised her voice into a squeaky falsetto. "Igor," she named the fallen troll, "What on earth are you doing to the furniture?" she cried.

Spike laughed and applauded as she made the trolls take a bow. "Lovely puppet show, ducks."

"Thank you, thank you," she grinned, then looked up as Buffy walked over and crouched down next to them. "Hey Buffy!" she greeted her best friend.

"Hey Wills," Buffy smiled at her friend, then motioned towards the drink Willow was still holding. "Whatcha got there?" she asked.

Willow's eyes widened in panic. "Umm, I can't tell you," she whispered dramatically.

The Slayer quirked an eyebrow at her. "Why not?" she asked.

"'Cause I forgot, an' Spike said if I ask him again, he'd write it on my forehead with a permanent marker," the redhead wailed, then leaned in conspiratorially towards Buffy. "Did you see the puppet show?"

Buffy shook her head, and Willow grinned. "Igor did naughty things to the furniture," she giggled.

Spike snorted in laughter at the look on Buffy's face, until the Slayer turned and glared at him. "Will you please make sure she gets home safely?" she asked him. "Riley and I are leaving now."

*~*~*~*~*

The blond vampire muttered to himself as he carried Willow's sleeping form up her front walk.

"Bloody hell," he swore when he realized he wouldn't be able to go inside without Willow's invitation. "Willow," he called softly, not wanting to wake her up, but needing to if she was going to stay here for the night.

Willow just sighed and snuggled against his chest. "Bugger," he said softly, then turned around and began walking towards the mansion.

*~*~*~*~*

The first thing Willow noticed upon waking was the sheets. They were bright blue and orange, and they had a cartoon character on them. "Thelma?" she said softly, recognizing the brainy girl from the real Scooby Gang. Then it registered that this wasn't her bed. And there was an arm across her waist. A cold arm.

"Eep!" she squeaked, sitting up quickly, then immediately regretting it as she groaned in pain.

"Morning, pet," Spike chuckled, awakened by her movements. "Hangover?"

"Yes," Willow moaned, trying hard not to make any sudden movements.

Pushing her gently back into the pillows, Spike crawled out of bed. "I'll be right back," he promised, then went out to the kitchen to get her something for the hangover.

"Thank you," Willow smiled up at him when he returned with aspirin and fresh orange juice.

After taking the aspirin, she quirked an eyebrow at him. "Thelma sheets?" she teased. "And how did I get into this shirt?" Willow asked, looking down at the soft white t-shirt she was wearing.

"Oh, come on, luv, I can't believe you don't remember the night of wild and crazy monkey sex we had," he teased her.

"No, we didn't," Willow giggled, then blushed. "We didn't, did we?" she asked.

"No," Spike sighed. "You woke up as I was taking off your shoes and insisted on changing by yourself, unfortunately."

Willow giggled even harder at the pathetic look on his face. "Oh goddess," she moaned, holding her head. "Is it okay if I go back to sleep until this wears off?" she asked him, her green eyes pleading.

"Of course, luv," he said, taking the glass from her as she closed her eyes. He went to the kitchen to rinse it out, and when he returned, she was already asleep. Climbing into the bed, he scooted close and snuggled into her warmth, his arm thrown across her waist. As he drifted off to sleep, he murmured one last thing. "Merry Christmas, luv."


End file.
